Understanding the Structure of Society through Mapping

Applicant Discovery Day

Welcome to the computer mapping session!

Together, we will discover the city of Liverpool using spatial data.

On the right-hand side of your screen, you have two tabs opened in a web browser.

We will use the ONS Census Map for the first half of the session, and the GeoDS Mapmaker for the second half. Let’s start!

Population density takes the number of people who live in each area and divides it by the size of the area (km² in our case)
Darker colours represent greater density
Zoom into Liverpool.
As you zoom in, you will notice that the area classification on the top left corner changes from LAD (Local Authority Districts) to MSOA (Middle Layer Super Output Areas) and OA (Output Areas).

Which MSOAs of Liverpool have the highest population density?
Answer: Central & Islington, Toxteth Park, Kensington, Anfield East…
Have a look at the Anfield area, just on the right of Kirkdale. Anfield is where the Liverpool FC stadium is!
Anfield East has higher population density than Anfield West and Anfield North. What might be the reason?
Answer: One reason is because there is a large park in Anfield West and Anfield North.

Click the tab on the left-hand side of the ONS Census Map screen. Click Home > Education > Schoolchild or full-time student indicator. (Or click this Link)
Now, this map shows the density of student population.
Which MSOAs of Liverpool have the highest % of student population?
Answer: Central & Islington, Edge Hill, Wavertree South… Your student accommodation might be here :)

Now, click on the second tab in your map browser.
You will see Output Area Classification (OAC). This is a product of our very own Professor Alex Singleton (Director of GeoDS).
OAC is a neighbourhood classification, which are data-driven descriptions of places.
Using large amounts of quantitative information, we are able to draw these empirical portraits of the character of an area.
On the top left corner of the map screen, there is a “Jump to postcode…” box. Try putting in a postcode of an area you are familiar with (e.g. where you currently live).
Zoom in and out and explore the map.

The colour-coded patterns are relative to the UK average.
On the right-hand side of the screen, you will find the Legend.
For your information, the Supergroup classifications mean the following:
1. Retired Professionals: Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children and well-educated. Detached and semi-detached properties predominate. Rural lifestyle, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.
2. Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanites: Typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. Typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level. Typically born in the UK. Pervasive in suburban locations and at or beyond the edge of cities

3. Multicultural and Educated Urbanites: Typically established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK. While generally well-educated, there is low levels of home ownership. Single person households are common. Predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.
4. Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities: Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present. Predomincates in non-central urban locations across Britain.
5. Diverse Suburban Professionals: Those working within the managerial, professional and administrative occupations typically reflect a wide range of ethnic groups, and reside in detached or semi-detached housing. Found throughout suburban Britain.

6. Baseline UK: Broad base to the UK’s social structure, i.e. the average levels of many neighbourhood characteristics.
7. Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce: Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, may have less formal education. Residents are predominantly born in the UK and social rented sector housing is common. Found throughout the UK’s conurbations, industrial regions and smaller towns.
8. Legacy Communities: Typically comprise pockets of flats scattered across the UK, particularly in towns with legacies of heavy industry or in more remote seaside locations.

Do you think the classification of your home neighbourhood makes sense more or less?
In the Legend, you can click on the “Supergroup” to look at more detailed categories of “Group” and “Subgroup”.
Now, zoom out of the map, and zoom into Liverpool.
Are the area characteristics of Liverpool city different to where you currently live? If so, how are they different?

Well done in completing the short practical! We hope that this gave you a little flavour.
Our undergraudate students learn not only how to make maps like this, but how to analyse and understand them.
Please do use any remaining time to ask as any question you may have about our degree or the city itself!